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While Hollywood mourns the loss of actress Michelle Trachtenberg, some controversies during the filming of Buffy the Vampire Slayer are resurfacing. Joss Whedon, who was the screenplay and director of the show, has been the face of many controversies over the years. As the days progressed and many allegations came out, actors started to speak against Whedon. Trachtenberg was among those actors who spoke openly about the misconduct on her social media. She stated that Whedon was not allowed to be alone with her in a room.
Trachtenberg’s social media post came out after the wake of Charisma Carpenter’s statement who played the role of Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She spoke about the constant humiliation and toxic behavior she had to endure at the hands of Whedon. She explicitly explained that during the filming of Buffy and its spin-off series Angel, Carpenter was berated and mistreated on the set while she was pregnant. Carpenter’s post was made in support of another actor Ray Fisher from Justice League, who also talked about the toxic behavior of Whedon during the production.
Controversies surrounding Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon has been a part of many notable productions including The Avengers (2012), its sequel Age of Ultron, as well as, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, etc. He has been projected as a pro-feminist among his fans because he projected strong female characters often seen in his writing. But the good guy image of Whedon was tarnished when his ex-wife Kai Cole released an open letter about him stating his misconduct (via The Wrap).
She accused him of cheating throughout their marriage, some of them included actresses from Buffy. She also condemned him by saying that he is a hypocrite who preaches feminist ideals. Gal Gadot and Ray Fisher shared similar sentiments against Whedon, stating the toxic environment during the production of their superhero movie.
These accusations were further reestablished by an open social media post by Charisma Carpenter who has suffered ill-treatment, intimidation, and ill-behavior from Whedon.
My truth. #IStandWithRayFisher pic.twitter.com/eNjYcJ6zwP
— charisma carpenter (@AllCharisma) February 10, 2021
In an X/Twitter post, she recalled him for being ‘casually cruel’. In the long Twitter post, she described what she had to suffer as a working pregnant woman on the set of Buffy and Angel. He called her ‘fat’, mocked her religious beliefs, and intimated with passive-aggressive comments about firing her from the show which further stressed her.
Trachtenberg’s take on Whedon
Michelle Trachtenberg also spoke about her experience during the production. Trachtenberg, who recently passed away at 39, supported Carpenter and other actors who endured Whedon’s toxic behavior. In a social media post, she revealed that Whedon was restricted from being alone with her, though she did not specify the reason. At the time of filming the show, Trachtenberg was at the age of 16 and she played the role of Buffy’s sister. Without specifying any reason for the restriction, she extended her support to the other spokespersons who had suffered the toxicity on set.
As these social media posts started to flare, more actors from Buffy came in support of them. Some members of the production also clarified Whedon’s cruel approach to belittling other writers in front of everyone and passing nasty notes of criticism.
Whedon’s response to the allegations
Although Whedon denied all these allegations, his fans were left in crisis. In an interview, he described the traumatic experiences that he faced in his childhood at the hands of his brother.
He says that he is terrified of speaking anything that comes out of his mouth because it can be used against him. He further explained how he thinks of himself as a visionary feminist who is highly inspired by his mother Lee Stearns. From a home that hasn’t been a kind place for him to a world of fame and achievement, Whedon’s life has been full of experiences. But that does not provide any excuse for his actions during the production of Buffy and other shows.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
